Strap guide



June 5, 1962 c, SCOTT 3,037,444

STRAP GUIDE Filed Oct. 25, 1959 3,637,444 STRAP GUEDE Andrew C. Scott,Hinsdale, Ill., assignor to Acme Stee Company, Chicago, Ill, acorporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 848,449 6 Claims.(Cl. wit-26) This invention relates to the art of strapping andparticularly to strapping bundles or loads to supporting skids orpallets.

In the past several years it has become morecommon to secure bundles orloads to supporting skids or pallets to provide unitized loads which canbe handled conven-iently by fork lift trucks and other carrying devicesduring subsequent handling and shipping. Experience with skid loadinghas resulted in many different types and forms of pallets or skids, eachbeing used in its own special way for various reasons depending upon thenature of the commodity and on the various requirements inherentlyessential :to the proper handling and shipping of the commodity.

One of the prevalent requirements of skid loading or palletizing is thatthe straps securing the bundle to the pallet are not exposed belowtherunners or feet of the skid where they can be subjected to snaggingand damage as the unitized loads are moved about. One common type ofskid embodies a platform supported by two parallel longitudinallyextending runners below the platform. The runners are provided withnotches at their upper edges to provide openings between the upper edgesof the runners and the bottom surface of the platform supported by therunners, to thereby provide passageways for the binding straps at alevel adjacent to the platform rather than beneath the runners wherethey could be snagged and damaged.

It is quite common to strap loads to this particular type of palletcompletely by hand whereby the operator must feed the strap through thepassageway provided by one of the runners across to the passagewayprovided by the other runner of a pallet. Then the strap is encircledabout the platform and the package on it and the strap ends are thensecured together to provide a closed loop of strap securing the skid tothe load. It should be quite apparent some difficulty arises whenthreading the strap from an opening in one skid runner to and throughthe opening in the adjacent skid runner. if the strap is curvedlongitudinally, considerably difiiculty is encountered in getting thestrap through the second opening. It is therefore, the principal objectof this invention to overcome this strap threading problem by providingmeans for facilitating the threading of the strap through the openingsof the skid runners. 7

It is another object of the invention to provide such improved strapguiding means which can be used in conjunction with a modified standardtype strap guide which is used for encircling straps around thepalletized load.

It is still another object of the invention to provide improved guidemeans of the type mentioned which has a particular advantage when usedin combination with a conveyor on which the pallet loads, aretransported because it provides clear passage of the skid runners alongthe conveyor without interfering with the strapfeeding oepration betweenthe openings in the skid runners.

It is another object of the invention to provide such improved guidemeans which is stationary and therefore requires no special operatingmechanism.

Other objects and advantages can be better understood by referring tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a front elevation of a portion of a conveyor and strapguide of a type which embodies the improved strap guide means of thisinvention;

Patented June 5, 19:62

FIG. 2 shows a partial sectional view along the line 22 of FIG. 1 andparticularly shows the improved strap guide means of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and indicatesthe shape of the strap guide track;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged partial sectional view of the portion of FIG. 2particularly showing the improved strap guide means of the invention;and

FIG. 5 is a sectional View along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

A structure in which the improved guide means of this invention isembodied can be of many forms but is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 supported ona frame 1 which is provided with a front upright 2 and a taller rearupright 3 connected together by a bottom horizontal member 4. On eitherside of the frame member 1 are supported roller conveyors 5 and 6 onlegs 7 and 8 which support the conveyors at their proper height. Theconveyors may be of any conventional type but, as shown, each consistsof two parallel spaced channel members 9 and 10 which have trunnionedbetween them rollers 11 on which the objects to be bound or strapped aresupported. The uprights 2 and 3 and horizontal members 12, 13 and 14form a framework for the support of a strap guide track 15 which isdivided into two lengths 15a and 1511. Length 15a extends in a C-shapefrom member 14 along member 3 and down along member 13. Its lower endterminates adjacent to the inner ends of the conveyors 5 and 6. Thelength 15b is rather short and is positioned on members 12 and 2 on theopposite sides of the conveyors 5 and 6. Both of the lengths 15a and15!) are held in place by means of L-shaped clips 16. These clips 16 aresecured to the frame members by means of screws 17. Their shape andpositions are shown in FIG. 3.

The cross-section of the strap guide track 15 is also shown in FIG. 3.The track as shown is made of flexible material such as rubber orplastic and is either molded or extruded into the cross-section shown.It is shaped with two flanges 18 which connect to two semi-circularwalls 19 which ordinarily are disconnected in a region 2t? where thesewalls abut to form a circle. Contained within the walls 19 is a strapbacking member 21 which extends for the entire length of each of thelengths 15a, and 151). It is retained within the walls 19 by bending ofits ends as indicated at 19a, 19b, 19c and 19d. This backing member 21is preferably made of smooth surfaced.

metal to provide a hard and smooth surface against which strap fedthrough the track can slide with a minimum of frictional drag.

The flanges 18 are held against the frame members by means of theL-shaped clips 16 as shown in FIG. 3.

Adjacent to the member 14 at the top of the vertical member 3 is anotherhorizontal member 22 which supports a platform 23 at its end. Theplatform 23 supposts a motor 24 which is provided at the end of itsshaft 25 with a feed wheel 26. Below the feed wheel 26 is an idler wheel27 which is mounted on a spring loaded hinge 28 which urges the idlerwheel 27 upward-1y against the feed wheel 26. The spring loaded hinge 23allows the idler wheel 27 to be deflected downwardly to a position asshown at 27a so that strap can be conveniently removed from between twowheels. I I

Mounted between the two aligned ends and 15a of the strap guide lengths15a and 15b and in the space between the two conveyors 5 and 6 is astrap guide member 29 which is supported on legs 34) fixed to thehorizontal member 4. The strap guide member 29 is of channel shape,having a bottom wall 2% connected between two side walls 2% and 290. Theside walls 2% and 29c are positioned angularly to each other so thatthey are spread apart further at one end of the strap guide member thanat the other. The bottom wall 29a is sloped upwardly in the direction ofthe guide length 15b.

The heights of the inner ends 150 or 15d of the guide lengths 15a and15d as well as the height of the high end 29d of the bottom wall 29a ofthe guide member 29 is predetermined by the height of the slot openingsor passageways 31 provided in the parallel runners 32 of a skid orpallet 33 onto which a load is to be strapped. As indicated in FIGS. 1,2 and 3, the pallet consists basically of a platform 34 supported on twoof the runners 32. The platform 34 supports the load which is in theform of cylindrical objects 35. The runners 32 are provided with notches36 at their upper edges and these notches 36 provide the passageways 31through which the binding straps are to be passed.

In operation, strap 37 is fed in the direction of the arrow 38 by meansof the feed wheel 26 which is rotated when the motor 24 is electricallyenergized. The strap 37 is directed by the feed wheel 26 into the upperend of the strap track guide length 15:: and is guided by it until itemerges from the end 15d of the length 15a. If a pallet supporting aload is properly aligned on the conveyors and 6, the leading strap end37a emerges and passes through a strap passage 31 of the pallet 33. Thisleading strap end 37a, due to its weight, naturally drops verticallyuntil it contacts the bottom wall 29:: of the strap guide member 29which guides it forwardly and again upwardly to lead it into the strappassage 31 of the second runner 32 of the pallet 33. After emerging fromthe second strap passage 31, the leading strap end 37a is directed intothe second length 15b of the strap guide 15 and it is guided throughthis guide length 15 until it emerges from its upper end. Sufficientlength of strap is fed beyond the end of the guide length 15b so thatthe leading strap end 37a and the supply strap end 37b can bemanipulated by the operator into overlapping relationship with eachother. After this point in the operation, the strap 37 is encircledabout the entire palletized load as shown in FIG. 2. At this time the oerator retracts the supply end 37b by withdrawing it in a directionopposite to that of the arrow 38. When doing so, the flexible side walls19 of the track flex outwardly as the strap 37 cams against them untilthey assume positions approximately as shown at 40 in FIG. 3. When soflexed, the region 29 of their separation is widened sufficiently thatthe strap 37 can be withdrawn from the strap guide. Likewise, theleading strap end 37:; is pulled upwardly and Withdrawn from the length1512 in a similar manner. When the strap 37 is Withdrawn and issuificiently close to the load of objects 35 on the pallet 33, theoperator uses conventional tools for further tensioning the strap 37into a closed loop onto the load and then securing the overlapping strapends 37a and 37b into interlocking engagement with each other,ordinarily with a seal 41 also interlocked around the overlapping strapends. A final secured loop of strap is indicated at 42 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It should be emphasized that, without the guide member 29 between therunners 32 of the pallet, the leading strap end 37a would of its ownweight fall downward between the runners and not automatically feedthrough the second consecutive strap passage 31 of the runners 32. Withthe member 29 the leading strap end 37:: is ordinarily lead properlyinto the second passageway.

Although the invention is shown embodied with an entire guide track 15and a feed mechanism for feeding the strap, it should be understood thatthe invention still has utility when only the guide member 29 is usedand one operator feeds the band from one side of the pallet to the otherwhere another operator is available to receive it. Both of the strapends then can be raised up on opposite sides of the load where they canbe joined together around the load. Also, the guide member 29 can beused in situations where a strapping head is used to automaticallytension and join together the strap, or other variations are possible.And, although only one embodi- 4. ment of the invention is shown, itshould be clearly understood that it can be made in many different wayswithout departing from the true scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination in strapping apparatus for strapping a pallet of atype having a load supporting platform secured at its lower surface tospaced apart parallel support runners provided with aligned strapopenings adjacent the load supporting platform comprising, a palletsupport having support regions for supporting a pallet on the bottomsurfaces of its spaced apart parallel support runners, a strappingstation on the pallet support, a strap guide extending from the palletsupport and projecting above the level of said support regions to bepositioned in the space between the spaced apart parallel supportrunners when the pallet is at the strapping station, said strap guidehaving a bottom wall for catching the leading end of a strap fed througha first strap opening in one of the adjacent runners, said bottom wallbeing sloped upwardly from a level below that of the bottom surface ofsaid first strap opening to terminate at least at the height of thelevel of the bottom surface of a second strap opening in the other nextadjacent runner so as to direct a strap fed from the first opening intothe second opening in order to obtain clear passage of the strap fromone side of the pallet to the other adjacent to the load supportingplatform.

2. The combination in strapping apparatus for strapping a pallet of atype having a load supporting platform secured at its lower surface tospaced apart parallel support runners provided with aligned strapopenings adjacent the load supporting platform comprising, a palletsupport having support regions for supporting a pallet on the bottomsurfaces of its spaced apart parallel support runners, a strappingstation on the pallet support, a strap guide extending from the palletsupport and projecting above the level of said support regions to bepositioned in the space between the spaced apart parallel supportrunners when the pallet is at the strapping. station, said strap guidehaving a bottom wall for catching the leading end of a strap fed througha first strap opening in one of the adjacent runners, said bottom wallbeing sloped upwardly from a level below that of the bottom surface ofsaid first strap opening to terminate at least at the height of thelevel of the bottom surface of a second strap opening in the other nextadjacent runner so as to direct a strap fed from the first opening intothe second opening in order to obtain clear passage of the strap fromone side of the pallet to the other adjacent to the load supportingplatform, said strap guide also having side walls connected to oppositemargins of the bottom wall to confine lateral movement of the strap endas it is fed through the strap guide.

3. The combination in strapping apparatus for strapping a pallet of atype having a load supporting platform secured at its lower surface tospaced apart parallel support runners provided with aligned strapopenings adjacent the load supporting platform comprising, a palletsupport having support regions for supporting a pallet on the bottomsurfaces of its spaced apart parallel support runners, a strappingstation on the pallet support, a strap guide extending from the palletsupport and projecting above the level of said support regions to bepositioned in the space between the spaced apart parallel supportrunners when the pallet is at the strapping station, said strap guidehaving a bottom wall for catching the leading end of a strap fed througha first strap opening in one of the adjacent runners, said bottom wallbeing sloped upwardly from a level below that of the bottom surface ofsaid first strap opening to terminate at least at the height of thelevel of the bottom surface of a second strap opening in the other nextadjacent runner so as to direct a strap fed from the first opening intothe second opening in order to obtain clear passage of the strap fromone side of the pallet to the other adjacent to the load supportingplatform, said strap guide also having side Walls connected to oppositemargins of the bottom wall to confine lateral movement of the strap endas it is [fed through said strap guide, said side walls being spreadapart an amount 7 larger than the width of the first strap opening tofacilitate entry of the strap end into the strapguide and said sidewalls being convergent toward the second strap opening to accuratelydirect the strap end into the second strap opening.

4. The combination in strapping apparatus for strapping a pallet of atype having a load supporting platform secured at its lower surface tospaced apart parallel support runners provided with aligned strapopenings adjacent the load supporting platform comprising, a first guidethrough which a strap ,can be fed endwise around the pallet, said firstguide being interrupted along its length to provide a strapping stationat the interruption, a pallet support mounted at the interruption havingsupport regions for supporting a pallet on the bottom surfaces of itsspaced apart parallel support runners at a level to cause alignment ofthe strap openings of the runners of the pallet with the strap feed paththrough the first guide when the pallet is supported at the strappingstation, a second strap guide extending from the pallet support andprojecting above the level of said support regions to be positioned inthe space between the spaced apart parallel support runners when thepallet is at the strapping station, said second strap guide beingaligned to direct a strap fed from a first strap opening in one of saidadjacent runners across to an aligned second strap opening in the otheradjacent runner in order to obtain guided passage of the strap from theportion of the first guide on one side of the interruption through thealigned strap openings of the pallet to the portion of the first guideon the opposite side of the interruption, said second strap guide havinga bottom wall for catching the leading end of the strap fed through thefirst strap opening, said bottom wall being sloped upwardly from a levelbelow that of the bottom surface of said first strap opening toterminate at least at the height of the level of the bottom surface ofthe second strap opening to help insure proper guidance through thesecond guide.

5. The combination in strapping apparatus for strapping a pallet of atype having a load supporting platform secured at its lower surface tospaced apart parallel support runners provided with aligned strapopenings adjacent the load supporting platform comprising, a first guidethrough which a strap can be fed endwise around the pallet, said firstguide being interrupted along its length to provide a strapping stationat the interruption, a pallet support mounted at the interruption havingsupport regions for supporting a pallet on the bottom surfaces of itsspaced apart parallel support runners at a level to cause alignment ofthe strap openings of the runners of the pallet with the strap feed paththrough the first guide when the pallet is supported at the strappingstation, a second strap guide extending from the pallet support andprojecting above the level of said support regions to be positioned inthe space between the spaced apart parallel support runners when thepallet is at the strapping station, said second strap guide beingaligned to direct a strap fed from a first strap opening in one of saidadjacent runners across to an aligned second strap opening in the otheradjacent runner in order to obtain guided passage of the strap from theportion of the first guide on one side of the interruption through thealigned strap openings of the pallet to the portion of the first guideon the opposite side of the interruption, said second strap guide havinga bottom wall for catching the leading end of the strap fed through thefirst strap opening, said bottom wall being sloped upwardly from a levelbelow that of the bottom surface of said first strap opening toterminate at least at the height of the level of the bottom surface ofthe second strap opening to help insure proper guidance through thesecond guide, said second strap guide also having side walls connectedto opposite margins of the bottom wall to confine lateral movement ofthe strap end as it is fed through the second guide.

6. The combination in strapping apparatus for strapping a pallet of atype having a load supporting platform secured at its lower surface tospaced apart parallel support runners provided with aligned strapopenings adjacent the load supporting platform comprising, a first guidethrough which a strap can be fed endwise around the pallet, said firstguide being interrupted along its length to provide a strapping stationat the interruption, a pallet support mounted at the interruption havingsupport regions for supporting a pallet on the bottom surfaces of itsspaced apart parallel support runners at a level to cause alignment ofthe strap openings of the runners of the pallet with the strap feed paththrough the first guide when the pallet is supported at the strappingstation, a second strap guide extending from the pallet support andprojecting above the level of said support regions tobe positioned inthe space between the spaced apart parallel support runners when thepallet is at the strapping station, said second strap guide beingaligned to direct a strap fed from a first strap opening in one of saidadjacent runners across to an aligned second strap opening in the otheradjacent runner in order to obtain guided passage of the strap from theportion of the first guide on one side of the interruption through thealigned strap openings of the pallet to the portion of the first guideon the opposite side of the interruption, said second strap guide havinga bottom Wall for catching the leading end of the strap fed through thefirst strap opening, said bottom wall being sloped upwardly from a levelbelow that of the bottom surface of said first strap opening toterminate at least at the height of the level of the bottom surface ofthe second strap opening to help insure proper guidance through thesecond guide, said second strap guide also having side walls connectedto opposite margins of the bottom wall to confine lateral movement ofthe strap end as it is fed through the second guide, said side wallsbeing spread apart an amount larger than, the width of the first strapopening to facilitate entry of the strap end into the second strapguide, and said, side walls being convergent toward the second strapopening to accurately direct the strap end therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,732,619 Ryan Oct. 22, 1929 2,632,381 Buckland Mar. 24, 1953 2,780,986Ritenour Feb. 12, 1957 2,844,091 Shafer et a1. July 22, 1958

